Charles of Lower Lorraine

Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine (953-993) was Duke of Lower Lorraine from 977 to 993, succeeding Richar of Lower Lorraine and preceding Otto of Lower Lorraine.

Biography
Charles was born in 953 in Reims, the son of King Louis IV of France and his wife Gerberga of Saxony. In 976, he accused his brother Lothair of France's wife Emma of Italy, daughter of Lothaire II of Italy, of infidelity with Bishop Adalberon of Laon. Although a church council at Reims exonerated her, Charles maintained his claim, and he was exiled to the court of his cousin Otto II of Germany. Charles paid Otto homage in exchange for Otto's backing in securing the throne of West Francia for himself, and Charles was granted the Duchy of Lower Lorraine as a vassal of East Francia. In 978, an enraged Lothair sacked the imperial capital of Aachen, so Charles and Otto invaded France, devastating the lands around Reims, Soissons, and Laon. On 30 November, the imperial army was forced to retreat, and on Lothair's death in 986 Charles was ignored as an heir due to his infidelity towards West Francia. Therefore, the House of Capet took power in 987 when Lothair's son Louis V of France died prematurely, and Charles decided to fight against Hugh Capet to reclaim France for the House of Karling. He was captured in 991, and he died in jail in Orleans in 993. His son Otto of Lower Lorraine, by his wife Adelaide of Troyes, succeeded him on his death.